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Thread: Fuel gauge ideas

  1. #1

    Join Date
    Jun 2016
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    Woodland,PA
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    Default Fuel gauge ideas

    My model III project is coming together however I have hit a small roadblock. I had planed on using a standard Kitfox fuel level tube for a gauge which I had purchased ,but when I started to install it I found my fiberglass wing tank has no reinforced points for the threaded fittings to go into just a fuel outlet and a breather outlet. I called Kitfox and they said I must have a really old tank and did not recommend drilling into the thin tank wall and therefore I need some means of getting a fuel gauge that will work ,looking for ideas. Thanks

  2. #2
    Senior Member efwd's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fuel gauge ideas

    Would you not be able to lay up addtl layers of fiberglass to make the wall as thick as you want and drill through it then?
    Eddie

  3. #3
    Senior Member Av8r_Sed's Avatar
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    10C Greenwood, IL
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    Default Re: Fuel gauge ideas

    Mine don't use threaded fittings. I drilled and installed rubber bushings and push-in 90 degree fuel fittings. I believe many are done this way. No leaks in 5 years.

    Note: Tubing clamps added later
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by Av8r_Sed; 10-02-2017 at 07:45 PM. Reason: added pic
    -- Paul S
    Model III SN910
    582 IVO Med

  4. #4

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    Default Re: Fuel gauge ideas

    Thank you for the help the rubber grommet and fitting looks like a winner,where did you get them and what size are they? Your placards look great also

  5. #5
    Senior Member Dusty's Avatar
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    Christchurch, New Zealand
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    Default Re: Fuel gauge ideas

    It looks like you have a wire inside the sight tube.Does this make it easier to see the fuel level?

  6. #6
    Senior Member Dave S's Avatar
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    St Paul, MN
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    Default Re: Fuel gauge ideas

    Dusty,

    I believe the reason for the wire is to maintain the correct shape of the tygon tubing - a bow in the tygon would affect the accuracy of the sight gauge.

    Having the updated version, I can tell you the wire does not help with seeing the fuel level.
    Dave S
    Kitfox 7 Trigear (Flying since 2009)
    912ULS Warp Drive

    St Paul, MN

  7. #7
    Senior Member Av8r_Sed's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fuel gauge ideas

    The wire doesn't help nor hurt the ability to see the fuel level. The stripes on the placard help a lot due to the diffraction of the fuel in the tube. The stripes appear vertical through the fuel.
    -- Paul S
    Model III SN910
    582 IVO Med

  8. #8

    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Port Orange, FL
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    3

    Default Re: Fuel gauge ideas

    I have the sight tubes on my Series V. They were installed 8 years ago and have worked fine. One caution though. When they start to discolor, check them especially carefully to see if they've also hardened. My aircraft is hangared and I thought the discoloration was normal, but during the annual condition inspection, when I touched them, they were hard and actually cracked and crumbled. My recommendation: replace them at the first sign of discoloration and save yourself a leak issue (replacement is easy and inexpensive.)

  9. #9
    Senior Member Av8r_Sed's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fuel gauge ideas

    I replace mine every year. It doesn't take long and all tubing like that seems to degrade quickly when it sees auto gas, ethanol free or not.
    -- Paul S
    Model III SN910
    582 IVO Med

  10. #10
    Senior Member efwd's Avatar
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    Jun 2015
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    Yorba Linda, CA
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    Default Re: Fuel gauge ideas

    Mine has never met gasoline and they are already discoloring.
    Guess I’ll be replacing it before adding fuel.

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